


r u gna cry?

by thrilljoy



Series: Drabbles [1]
Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: M/M, drabble based off that bleak creek vlog rock scene... are you gonna cry?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:08:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27775102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thrilljoy/pseuds/thrilljoy
Summary: LINK, on the big rock: "Once we started talking about being filmmakers and we started writing the screenplay, it seemed very real in my mind that, 'oh, we can do this'. But your dad was starting to talk more about, 'You're good enough at basketball that that can be what defines where you go to college.' And I'm like, you have to check a lot of pride to say, 'Well I really want... I don't want you to play basketball, I want us to make films together.' It's like, I don't think that's ever anything I felt comfortable coming out and saying. You know? Some teenage boy's not gonna say that to his best friend in the woods... I feel like I'm actually a bit emotional. Any questions?"RHETT: Are you gonna cry?LINK: I could definitely cry...
Relationships: Rhett McLaughlin/Link Neal
Series: Drabbles [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2031880
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	r u gna cry?

**Author's Note:**

> LINK, on the big rock: "Once we started talking about being filmmakers and we started writing the screenplay, it seemed very real in my mind that, 'oh, we can do this'. But your dad was starting to talk more about, 'You're good enough at basketball that that can be what defines where you go to college.' And I'm like, you have to check a lot of pride to say, 'Well I really want... I don't want you to play basketball, I want us to make films together.' It's like, I don't think that's ever anything I felt comfortable coming out and saying. You know? Some teenage boy's not gonna say that to his best friend in the woods... I feel like I'm actually a bit emotional. Any questions?"
> 
> RHETT: Are you gonna cry?  
> LINK: I could definitely cry...

What was the alternative, Link wondered. Was it fair to ask Rhett to turn away from certainty and embrace the dark, formless, nebulous, swirling unknown? What awaited them on the other side of that? Just Link - cold, shivering and helpless? Who could eat with that? Who could survive on that? It wasn’t enough. And though it broke his heart, though it cast a shadow so long and wide, though it dug a pit so deep and deeper still and hulled him out a cavern to rival the grandest, he held steadfast to his resolve. By the grace of the trinity - and probably a few angels - he managed to still his quivering bottom lip and madly beating heart and lie. Lie like a scaly, growling, rotten, no good, belly-crawling thing. To slap on a smile, tamp down the urge to cry - ignore the prickle in his eye and pressure behind his nose - to put that special twinkle in his baby blues and smile so hard they crinkled at the corners, willed his face not to collapse, his shoulders not to shake like popping corn and electrons madly whirring, bumping, heating, buzzing and be still. He put on his strong face and persevered.

Each knew what they were giving up, quieting the what ifs inside their heads, the words dying on their tongues. So many overtures crashed like waves and surf against a cage of teeth. Their hearts thundered in their chests. Each willed the other to break the trance, begged silently for the courage to ask him to do the unthinkable. If only he asked, each thought, if only he said those magic words. But he didn’t.. and neither did he. So this it, they declared, this was when they became men. Link would follow Rhett to the ends of the earth if that meant more time with him; so what if they would never truly be fully happy? Rhett was already falling out of love with basketball - going through the motions - but the weight of paternal expectations on his shoulder and the threat of god knew what if he refused was strong enough to make the choice for the both of them. At least they’d have each other. They’d be together… wherever. 

Rhett threw down a stack of college guides they read cover to cover. They chose the schools. He proofread their applications. He narrowed the field to the schools where they were both accepted and let the best offer from the Coach make the final selection for him… for them.

Mama Sue didn’t question Link - she bit her tongue and relegated her imploring and advances to sidelong glances and raised brows. After all, they were staying in North Carolina, her baby would stay close to home. She never brought up the screenplay again after that one night, though she couldn’t say under oath - or later strapped to a lie detector - that she didn’t sneak into Link’s room once, twice, or a few dozen times after to read it… and all the other works they’d left half-finished, stacked in a corner somewhere under a pile of clothes she swore she’d told him many a time to donate to the Goodwill. 

College was what it was. Somewhere buried in Rhett’s subconscious was the urge to make it up to Link, knowing how big of a sacrifice and what matter of dreams he’d cast aside to follow Rhett. He did not take it lightly. He was always the first to apologize after an argument, no matter how trivial. He always offered Link the bigger half of whatever they split - though he rarely accepted. He stopped parading girls in front of Link. He never ditched him at parties or rallies. He let Link choose what they did, what they watched, and where they went - though Link was often racked with indecision so he got to choose many things as well! And when they finally, dear Lord fi-na-lly(!!!) started doing “it,” he’d make Link cum so hard and so often they swore it’d soon start affecting his brain.

And Link, for his part, kept Rhett entertained, always in stitches, always had a snack ready, made sure his uniforms were clean, made sure to walk light when he got back late from the library and Rhett was already in bed, didn’t grumble when the ridiculously early alarms woke him up either. He was Rhett’s number one, cajoled him to move his weary bones and heaved him out the door many a morning when he wanted to remain in bed, reminded him that this had been his dream once upon a time, that this came easy to him and if he couldn’t do it ‘cause he loved it at least do it ‘cause he excelled at it, and it seemed second nature for him. He was a powerful yet graceful beast on the court, a powerhouse, a presence, effective and efficient and looked damn good doing it - and how many people in the world could say that? And when they finally started doing “it,” Link let Rhett wreck him and use him any old way, and time, any where, and any how he wanted or needed it, gave Rhett the reins and was often left speechless at what they could do together, how little boundaries or limits they had, how their bodies just fit, how they sang. Sometimes it felt like they were made for each other. And truly, what was the alternative, Link wondered.

**Author's Note:**

> “You want the air but not the words that come with it. Breathe at your peril.” Margaret Atwood 
> 
> “Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage.” Maya Angelou. 
> 
> "...I was insecure / I mean I'm still for sure / I know I'm better than you and know what I deserve / More than borrowed time / More than nouns and verbs / I wanna be somebody's somebody / I don't want to collect dust in your pocket..." Lies, SZA x Felix Snow


End file.
